Alex Herman and Dr. John Parianos confirmed the Cook Islands' participation in the Noumea platform, highlighting the Cook Islands' deep-sea policy and the achievements as well as challenges faced by the Seabed Minerals Authority in this area. The Secretary of State for the Sea has requested the IRD spearhead a collaborative scientific evaluation that concentrates on deep-sea knowledge and governance.
Read MoreYou can read all the latest news and updates on the Cook Islands seabed minerals sector here.
Prime Minister Mark Brown led a Cook Islands delegation to the SAFE Summit 2024, which took place in Washington, DC from 12th to 13th March, to discuss the sustainable development of the seabed minerals sector. Key officials in the delegation included Alex Herman, Commissioner of Seabed Minerals, Dr. John Parianos, Director of Knowledge Management, and Garth Henderson, Financial Secretary.
Read MoreTe-Ara Henderson, Senior Policy and Legal Officer of the Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority (SBMA) attended Part I of the 29th Session of the Council. The Council sessions are hosted three times a year at the headquarters of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) in Kingston, Jamaica. The Cook Islands is a member state and sponsoring state of an Exploration Licence in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone.
Read MoreTwo remotely operated vehicle (ROV) dives and four boxcore deployments later, the Artex 2023 team disembarked in Aitutaki after completing a research expedition of the deep ocean plains shared with Rarotonga.